'(As a man no thyng afferd)
The to gyrdë with thys swerd,
Thys noble swyrd off ryghtwysnesse
In the skawberk off meknesse.
Line 8000
'And thy gyrdel ek shal be—
With wych thow shalt ygyrden the—
The gyrdel off 'perseueraunce';
The Bokle callyd ek 'constaunce';
Line 8004
That whan the tong ys onys Inne,
They shal neuere parte A-twynne,
But perpetuelly endure [[to endure St.]]
Line 8007
To kepe the cloos in thyn Armure, [Stowe folio 143b]
That they departe nat assonder.
And yiff they dyde, yt wer gret wonder;
ffor perseueraunce (I dar seye)
Ys the verray parfyt keye
Line 8012
And lok also (I dar assure) [folio 126a]
Off perfeccioun off armure.
'And therfore alway do thy peyne
ffor to fastne wel thys [[thes St.]] tweyne,
Line 8016
The gyrdel off perseueraunce
With the Bookle off constaunce;
And than thy Swerd, longe tabyde,
Ys wel gyrt vn-to thy syde:
Line 8020
Ha thys wel in mynde, I charge.
'Now wyl I spekyn off thy Targe, [[ [prose cap cxxviii] cap. cxxvii is not in the verse English.]]
The wych in soth (who kan entende,)
Schal thyn Armure wel [[alle St.]] A-mende,
Line 8024
And kepe yt, (lyk as yt ys wrouht,)
In vertu that yt A-peyrë nouht.
The wych vp-on thy brest to-fore,
Off custom euere shal be bore,
Line 8028
As cheff thyng for thy dyffence:
The name off wych shal be 'prudence';
A Targe most worthy off Renoun.
ffor, whilom, Kyng Salamoun
Line 8032
Bar ay thys targe in hys entent,
ffor to do ryhtful Iugëment,
Rychere to hym (Erly & late)
Line 8035
Than off gold to .ij. [[Golde / twoo St.]] hondryd plate,
